Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) & HR Director Executive Search Services

People strategy has become business strategy.

The organisations that attract, develop, and retain exceptional people are often the ones that outperform their competitors. As businesses grow, transform, enter new markets, or adapt to changing workforce expectations, the quality of HR leadership becomes increasingly important.

Today’s Chief Human Resources Officer, HR Director, or Head of HR plays a critical role in aligning people strategy with business objectives. They shape organisational culture, develop leadership capability, improve workforce performance, and help create the conditions for sustainable growth.

We believe outstanding leadership is one of the most enduring forms of competitive advantage. We support boards, CEOs, founders, investors, and C-suite leadership teams to identify and appoint HR leaders capable of driving organisational performance and long-term success.

Discuss a CHRO or HR Director Appointment

The Search for the Right HR Leader

The role of the HR leader has evolved significantly.

Today’s CHROs, HR Directors, and Heads of HR are expected to contribute far beyond employee relations and compliance. They influence organisational design, workforce planning, leadership development, succession planning, employee engagement, culture, and transformation programmes.

They also help organisations develop flexible workforces, strengthen performance management, and ensure employees have the skills and capability required to support future business objectives.

As organisations evolve, HR leaders play a critical role in aligning human capital with business objectives. They help businesses attract and retain talent, strengthen leadership capability, improve organisational effectiveness, and build cultures that support long-term performance.

The strongest HR leaders combine strategic thinking with commercial awareness. They understand the priorities of the board and executive team while maintaining credibility across the wider organisation.

The most effective HR leaders ensure organisations operate in line with their values and purpose while creating the structures, leadership capability, and workforce strategies needed to achieve long-term business goals.

Finding individuals capable of balancing people priorities with commercial objectives requires a targeted executive search approach and access to senior HR leadership markets.

Secure the people leadership needed for your next phase of growth

Book a confidential discussion with one of our Executive Search Directors

Discuss a CHRO / HR Director Appointment

When Organisations Appoint a CHRO or HR Director

Most HR leadership appointments are driven by change.

Common situations include:

  • Rapid business growth
  • Investment, acquisition, or ownership change
  • Organisational transformation
  • Succession planning
  • International expansion
  • Cultural change initiatives
  • Leadership development programmes
  • Talent attraction and retention challenges
  • Workforce restructuring
  • Strengthening employee engagement and performance

These appointments influence culture, organisational effectiveness, leadership capability, and long-term business performance.

Why Organisations Strengthen HR Leadership

Organisations rarely say:

“We need a new HR Director.”

More commonly they say:

  • We need stronger leadership capability
  • We need to improve employee retention
  • We need support through change
  • We need to strengthen organisational culture
  • We need better succession planning
  • We need leadership for the next phase of growth
  • We need to align people strategy with business objectives

In many cases, the organisation has evolved and requires a different leadership profile to support future ambitions.

What Success Looks Like

The right HR leadership appointment creates impact across the organisation.

Successful CHROs and HR Directors help organisations:

  • Build stronger leadership teams
  • Improve employee engagement and retention
  • Develop succession pipelines
  • Strengthen culture and values
  • Improve organisational effectiveness
  • Support growth and transformation
  • Enhance employer brand and talent attraction
  • Align workforce strategy with business objectives
  • Create reward, recognition, and performance frameworks that support retention and business performance

The strongest HR leaders ensure organisations operate in line with their values, purpose, and long-term objectives while creating environments where people can perform at their best.

What Happens if Leadership Capability No Longer Fits?

As organisations evolve, people challenges become more complex.

Growth, transformation, acquisition activity, international expansion, and changing workforce expectations often require different leadership capability.

When HR leadership no longer aligns with business requirements, organisations can experience:

  • Increased employee turnover
  • Leadership capability gaps
  • Cultural misalignment
  • Recruitment challenges
  • Reduced engagement and productivity
  • Weak succession planning
  • Slower organisational change

The right appointment can help address these challenges while supporting long-term business performance.

Testimonials

Our interim HR director was a transformational presence. Novo understood the cultural challenges we faced and delivered someone who brought warmth, structure and credibility. Morale lifted, training improved and the organisation began to feel connected again.

Interim HR Director, International Hospitality Group

Novo were recently retained to recruit an HR Director for Jaywing The targeted search assignment engaged with a very strong shortlist of candidates based in the North and East Midlands resulting in the successful appointment.

Jaywing

“Novo was very professional as a Search and Selection specialist, helping support me through securing a great new position. He was very well informed about the organisation, answered all my questions and kept me up to date with progress throughout.”

The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) 

“My personal experience with Novo was really good. They had all the information I needed whilst being professional, discreet and considerate, which ultimately made the whole process extremely smooth.” Account Director, Catalina Marketing

Catalina Marketing

Novo’s Legal Team were retained to recruit a Partner. Through a targeted and comprehensive headhunting assignment process Novo were successful in appointing an excellent Partner for the practice.

Bray & Bray Solicitors

Many thanks for your work in finding and helping me to recruit for the position of Head of Business Development. Novo has done an excellent piece of work and I would have no hesitation in coming to you for another assignment or in recommending you for other potential clients.” Chief Executive, Commonwealth Education Trust.

Commonwealth Education Trust

Accessing the Right Candidates

The strongest CHROs, HR Directors, and Heads of HR are already leading people functions within successful organisations.

They are developing leadership teams, shaping culture, supporting transformation, and influencing board-level and C-suite decisions. Most are not actively seeking new opportunities.

Our executive search methodology provides access to a broad pool of high-calibre HR and C-suite people leaders. Through targeted research, organisational mapping, competitor analysis, and proactive engagement, we identify individuals with the leadership capability, strategic vision, and innovative thinking required to succeed in your environment.

We assess candidates on leadership capability, strategic thinking, commercial awareness, organisational effectiveness, and their ability to deliver results within your specific context.

 

Considering growth, transformation, or people leadership change?

Discuss your HR leadership requirements with our executive search team in confidence

Discuss a Confidential HR Leadership Appointment

Our Approach to CHRO & HR Director Executive Search

Our executive search process is designed to support confident leadership decisions.

Discovery: We begin by understanding your organisation, culture, workforce challenges, strategic objectives, and leadership requirements.

Talent Search: We identify and engage senior HR leaders through targeted research, organisational mapping, and established executive networks.

Assessment: We assess candidates against your organisational needs, leadership requirements, commercial priorities, culture, and long-term objectives.

Engagement: We support the process through to acceptance, including negotiations, stakeholder management, and transition planning.

Onboarding Support: We remain involved following appointment to support alignment, integration, and long-term success.

Why Organisations Choose Novo for CHRO Recruitment

As one of the UK’s leading executive search firms, Novo supports organisations across multiple sectors with senior HR leadership appointments.

HR Executive Search Expertise: We understand the evolving role of CHROs, HR Directors, and Heads of HR and the impact these appointments have on organisational performance, leadership capability, and culture.

Multi-Sector Experience: Our consultants specialise in identifying senior HR and C-suite talent across a broad range of sectors, helping organisations secure leaders aligned to their culture, market, and strategic priorities.

Global Reach: We operate across the UK, Europe, North America, and the Middle East, providing access to senior HR leadership talent internationally.

Success Rate: We maintain a 95% placement success rate on retained executive search assignments.

Professional Standards: We are members of the Association of Executive Search and Leadership Consultants, reflecting recognised standards of ethics and professionalism.

HR Leadership Roles We Recruit

We support appointments from Head of HR and HR Director level through to CHRO and wider C-suite people leadership roles.

Our appointments include:

  • Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO)
  • Chief People Officer
  • HR Director
  • Head of HR
  • Talent Director
  • Organisational Development Director
  • Employee Experience Director
  • Learning & Development Director
  • Interim HR Leaders
  • Non-Executive Directors

Skills We Look for in HR Leaders

The most effective HR leaders typically demonstrate:

  • Strategic thinking and commercial awareness
  • Strong leadership and decision-making capability
  • Organisational design and workforce planning expertise
  • Talent attraction and retention experience
  • Leadership development capability
  • Emotional intelligence
  • Exceptional communication skills
  • Relationship-building and stakeholder management expertise
  • Change management experience
  • HR technology and systems knowledge
  • Employment law and compliance understanding

Industry Expertise

HR leadership requirements vary significantly between sectors.

A CHRO supporting a high-growth technology company faces different challenges from an HR Director within manufacturing, healthcare, financial services, or the energy sector. Talent attraction, workforce planning, organisational design, leadership development, and regulatory requirements all influence the skills and experience needed.

We support organisations across multiple sectors, helping them identify HR leaders capable of strengthening culture, developing leadership capability, improving workforce performance, and supporting long-term business growth.

Our experience across these environments informs how we assess leadership capability, organisational effectiveness, cultural alignment, and long-term fit.

Our CHRO Executive Search Specialists

executive search jo watkins

Jo Watkins

jon hollier

Jon Hollier

dale perrett

Dale Perrett

executive search jo watkins

Jo Watkins

Director

Now a Director at Novo, Jo has spent over 12 very successful years with the business. Jo has extensive experience recruiting senior management and board-level professionals across a range of...

LinkedIn Profile:

Linkedin in Full Profile
dale perrett

Dale Perrett

Founding Director

Dale is one of the Founding Directors of Novo Executive Search and Selection. He is part of the Novo leadership team that drives the business. He remains passionate about working...

LinkedIn Profile:

Linkedin in Full Profile
jon hollier

Jon Hollier

Founding Director

Jon is a Founding Director of Novo Executive Search & Selection. Beyond establishing and developing Novo, his extensive experience covers a wide range of disciplines across commercial and the third...

LinkedIn Profile:

Linkedin in Full Profile

Case Studies

Global Presence

A Global Network for HR Leadership Recruitment

Workforces are increasingly international. Talent markets continue to evolve. Leadership expectations are changing.

Many organisations require HR leaders capable of managing people strategy across multiple regions, cultures, and business environments while supporting growth, transformation, and workforce development.

We support organisations seeking HR leadership talent across the UK, Europe, North America, and the Middle East.

Access International HR Leadership Talent

Discover how we can help you appoint exceptional leadership talent for your business

Book a confidential call with one of our executive search Directors

Book a call

 

Current HR Leadership Roles

Human Resources Director
Salary: Six figure executive package

Our client has a long history developing and manufacturing highly specified critical equipment for defence and industrial environments. They are dedicated to improving personal protection for global customers operating in high performance environments.…

  • Board Director/Partner HR/Personnel/Training
  • Engineering Manufacturing
  • Warrington, Cheshire (GB)
Job Ref No: HRD JH 11/24
Date Added: 21-11-2024
This job has now been successfully concluded.
Interim HR Director
Salary: Competitive day rate

Our client is a multi-million turnover goods and services business, employing 5000 staff across its food & beverage and food retail outlets.…

  • HR/Personnel/Training
  • Consumer Products and FMCG Sports & Leisure
  • Fareham, Hampshire
Job Ref No: JW/IHR 08/24
Date Added: 31-07-2024
This job has now been successfully concluded.
Head of HR
Salary: Competitive salary and package

Our client is one of Europe’s leading food manufacturers supplying quality products for national and international retail, commercial and foodservice markets.…

  • HR/Personnel/Training
  • Consumer Products and FMCG
  • Llanelli, Carmarthenshire (Sir Gaerfyrddin)
Job Ref No: HR JW 11/23
Date Added: 16-11-2023
This job has now been successfully concluded.
HR Manager (Manufacturing)
Salary: Competitive salary, bonus and incentives

Our client is one of Europe’s leading food manufacturers supplying quality products for national and international retail, commercial and foodservice markets.
There is a requirement to hire an experienced HR Manager to their busy manufacturing site in West Wales, near to Llanelli. …

  • HR/Personnel/Training
  • Consumer Products and FMCG Manufacturing
  • Llanelli, Carmarthenshire (Sir Gaerfyrddin)
Job Ref No: HRM JW 04/23
Date Added: 26-04-2023
This job has now been successfully concluded.
HR Director
Salary: £80,000 - £100,000 plus package and benefits

  • Board Director/Partner HR/Personnel/Training
  • Technology
  • Herefordshire (GB)
Job Ref No: HRD JW 08/22
Date Added: 03-08-2022
This job has now been successfully concluded.

Insights

Find Your Next HR Leader

You need a leader who can align people strategy with business strategy. Someone who can strengthen culture, develop leadership capability, attract and retain talent, and support long-term business performance.

We help organisations identify and secure that leader.

If you are preparing for a CHRO, HR Director, or Head of HR appointment, speak with our team.

Define Your HR Leadership Requirement